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By Garrett Haake and Jane C. Timm
ROCK HILL, SC – Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke on Friday called for an end to the bail system, using his two arrests in the 1990s to plead his case.
At an event in Rock Hill, South Carolina, a woman who reported working for the American Civil Liberties Union questioned O. Rourke on his plans for "the bailout system." condition you enjoy yourself. "
"She's referring to the fact that I've been arrested twice in my life," said O'Rourke in response, as the crowd laughed nervously. "The two serious offenses, there are more than 20 years for attempted criminal trespassing, the other, much more serious and much more serious, for driving while impaired by alcohol. Driving while intoxicated, to put a point.
The cash bond allows the accused to get out of prison after paying a deposit of money to guarantee the return of the accused to trial. Advocates of criminal justice reform argue that the exchange of money for freedom has been unfair to poor people, who may not be able to pay, and are therefore more likely to be stuck behind the bail system should be abolished.
O'Rourke said he was arrested and spent one night in jail after each incident. He acknowledged that his family's resources had helped him avoid any involvement of his crimes for his entire life and said he was convinced that others should have the same chance.
"In both cases, I was able to post a bond because we had the resources of our family to do it. I now understand how exceptional my experience was and the fact that these mistakes did not define me, my future, or my options in my life, "said O & # Rourke.
According to reports, O'Rourke, arrested in 1995 and 1998, said that crimes committed in the past unfairly haunted many Americans, especially non-violent drug offenders.
"So ending the financial security system makes sense. You can not be too poor to have your freedom and that's exactly what is happening right now in the United States of America, "O'Rourke said.
O & # 39; Rourke is not the first candidate in 2020 to subscribe to the idea of ending bail. Meaning. Cory Booker, D-N.J., And Kamala Harris, D-Calif. both criticized the system. Harris worked on a bill to reorganize bail practices with Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., In 2017.
The criminal history of the Texan Democrat has been seized by his political opponents throughout his career. His arrest for trespass is often cited as a charge of burglary by critics; The criminal offense is indeed classified in the Texas Penal Code as a burglary offense, according to PolitiFact.
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